An approximate analytical model for application to the operation of intraship transfer of material at sea.

Abstract

An approximate analytical queuing model for the intraship transfer of material phase of the replenishment at sea problem is formulated. The physical model has two parallel sets of three service facilities in series that move material to a final stage of three service facilities in parallel. Exponential service times and finite queue space are assumed for each facility, except that the initial facilities always have infinite queues. This implies that the output from an individual facility is approximately Poisson. The mean output rate for the queuing system is obtained. Several parametric studies on critical parameters are performed, with the results presented in graphical format, The model is easily enlarged to allow a general number of facilities in series in any of the parallel paths. Generalization to more than two paths in parallel for the initial stages may be possible.